1. Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention described herein pertain to the field of skin care compositions and methods relating to the production of such products. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention relate to a pomegranate based skin care composition particularly for topical applications related to counteracting skin aging, preventing risk of skin cancer, and improving overall skin health.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many personal care products currently available to consumers are directed primarily to improving the health and/or physical appearance of the skin. Among these skin care products, many are directed to delaying, minimizing or even eliminating skin wrinkling and other histological changes typically associated with the aging of skin or environmental damage to human skin. Numerous compounds are described in the art as being useful for regulating skin condition, including regulating fine lines, wrinkles and other forms of uneven or rough surface texture.
Skin aging is a complex phenomenon that occurs from interactions between many extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors include ultraviolet (UV) radiation (e.g., from sun exposure), environmental pollution, wind, heat, low humidity, harsh surfactants, abrasives, and the like. Intrinsic factors include chronological aging and other biochemical changes (e.g., from genetically programmed process) from within the skin. Whether extrinsic or intrinsic, these factors result in visible signs of skin aging and environmental damage, such as wrinkling and other forms of roughness (including increased pore size, flaking and skin lines), loss of rigidity or elasticity, uneven pigmentation on the surface, and other histological changes associated with skin aging or damage. To many people, the visible signs of skin aging or damage are a reminder of the disappearance of youth. As a result, the elimination of visible signs of skin aging or damage is a booming business in youth-conscious societies. Treatments range from cosmetic creams and moisturizers to various forms of cosmetic surgery.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is one of extrinsic factors associated with skin disorders in human. UV radiation induces a number of harmful responses including erythema, edema, hyperpigmentation, hyperphasic responses, immunosuppression, photoaging and skin cancer. Both UVB and to a lesser extent UVA are causative factors for sun-light induced skin disorders diagnosed in humans. UVB radiation is the most damaging part of the solar radiation reaching the earth and acts mainly on the epidermal basal cell layer of skin. Exposure of skin to UV light initiates a photo-oxidative reaction which impairs the antioxidant status and increases cellular level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accompanied by activation of many ROS-sensitive signaling pathways. This impairs the ability of skin to protect itself resulting in increased oxidative stress, with consequent damage to the cutaneous tissues, a process commonly known as “photoaging”. Among all adverse effects of UV radiation, skin cancer is of greatest concern because the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer has been increasing at an alarming rate and is the leading cause of malignancy in the United States.
Primary prevention of skin cancer, which includes the use of sunscreens or wearing of protective clothing, is recommended for reducing the risk of skin cancer but for many reasons these primary prevention approaches have met with limited success. Sunscreens and other anti-aging actives are not effective in revitalizing skin that has already been damaged by sun, aging or other factors.
Improved identification of key botanical and/or chemical actives for the effects on skin aging are made possible by analyzing for levels of the various biomarkers implicated in various skin disorders. It has been shown that exposure of human skin to UVB radiation upregulates the synthesis of the matrix-degrading enzymes matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), such as MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, -8, -9, -11, and -12, which have been implicated in photoaging. UVB-mediated activation of biomarkers, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), plays an important role in inflammation, immunity, cell proliferation and skin carcinogenesis. As aforementioned, ROS have been implicated in many of the undesirable aspects of skin aging whether due to intrinsic cause or exposure to UV radiation.
Aquaporins (AQPs) are proteins that facilitate the transport of water across cell membranes. So far, thirteen different AQPs have been identified in mammals (AQP 0-12). The aquaglyceroporin AQP3 expression is related to the expressions of other epidermal proteins involved in water maintenance (i.e., CD44, claudin-1, and filaggrin). The expressions of AQP3 water channels are strongly affected by age and chronic sun exposure, and a defective osmotic equilibrium could occur in the epidermis, which would account for the skin dryness observed in older people and skin areas most exposed to sunlight.
Based on the foregoing, there is a continuing need to formulate skin care compositions with a viable shelf life containing actives that are effective in retarding the aging effects of sunlight, retarding the natural effects of aging on the skin, such as drying and loss of elasticity and improving the appearance of skin, moisturizing/re-hydrating and tightening and firming skin, while also having any combinations of potent free radical scavenging, antioxidant, antiflammatory, antimicrobial, antiproliferative and antitumoriogenic properties.